Rotatable sections for buildings



Feb. 18, 1958 Filed Dec. 16, 1954 A. GRANEK ROTATABLE SECTIONS FOR BUILDINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 b INVENTOR. ALFRED Arm/mix Feb. 18, 1958 A. GRANEK Y 2,823,425

ROTATABLE SECTIONS FOR BUILDINGS Filed Dec. 16, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 2 GAILDEN TO 0L5 ENCLOSED PORCH 0R GUEST ROOM BED RDDM STUDIO ROOM D hi Q N JNVENTOR.

. ALFRED GRANEK Feb. 18, 1958 A. GRANEK .ROTATABLE SECTIONS FOR BUILDINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. l6, 1954 INVENTOR.

GRANEK 2,823,425 ROTATABLE SECTIONS FOR BUILDINGS Alfred Granek, Bronx, N. Y. Application December 16, 1954, Serial No. 475,704 3 Claims. (Cl. 20-1) This invention relates to building construction, and more particularly has reference to a building having a rotary portion provided with radially extending partitions and with a circular floor and ceiling, which portion is adapted to be rotated to selected positions, about a vertical axis extending at the adjacent corners of conventionally appearing, rectangular rooms, thus to convert said rooms for different purposes as desired.

It has heretofore been proposed to form a complete building in a circular outline and to mount said building for rotary movement. type has a relatively unconventional appearance, detracting measurably from the commercial prospects or saleability thereof. Further, in such a building the rooms are shifted bodily through an arcuate path, and are of segmental shape. such a construction in that exteriorly, the building is of thoroughly conventional appearance, and furthermore, when the interior is viewed, is again of basically conventionally appearance, having a plurality of rooms having the usual rectangular floor area. Built into the interior of the building is a rotary portion or turntable, having radially extending partitions adapted to move into flush relation with stationary partitions of the rooms to the fioor area of which the rotary portion contributes. By rotation of the turntable, the rooms within which the turntable has rotary movement are converted for different uses.

An important object is to provide a building construction as stated in which maximum use of the floor area is made, so that there can besuccessively brought into a main, large room, kitchen and dining equipment, bed room furniture, study or library furnishings, and the like, so as to convert said main room to particularly advantageous use for sleeping, dining, etc.

Another object is to provide a building having the versatility stated which can still be constructed at little or no increase above that required for a conventional building of equal floor area and exterior design, that does not have the features described.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to theappended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a typical residential building in which the turntable is incorporated.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the building with the roof removed to show the interior construction.

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view of the building, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, substantially on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view on'an enlarged scale, of the portion 'of the building in which the turntable is mounted.

still further enlarged,

However, a construction of this The present invention diifers from nited States v Patent "0 ice Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, the scale being enlarged still further, on line 66 of Fig. 4, showing a means for latching the turntable in a selected position of rotary adjustment.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the latching means 0: line 7-7 of Fig. 6, the scale being enlarged still fur- 1 er.

At 10 there has been generally designated a building which in the illustrated example is constructed for residence purposes. The invention, however, can be employed to equal advantage in a commercial building, as will presently appear.

In the illustrated example, the building is erected upon a slab 12 (Fig. 4) formed adjacent one corner of the building with a footing 14 having a vertical opening in which is anchored the lower end portion of an elongated, vertically disposed, stationary pipe 16, the upper end of which is fitted with a weather cap 18.

Rotatable upon the pipe 16 within the building is a sleeve 20, fixedly secured at its lower end to a circular floor 22 and fixedly secured at its upper end to a circular ceiling 24 of a diameter equal to that of the floor. The pipe 20, floor 22, and ceiling 24 are all parts of a turntable generally designated 25, which turntable is mounted for rotation about the axis of the pipe 16 in a position in which it is fully enclosed by a rectangular corner portion of the building 10.

To dispose the floor 22 of the turntable flush with the floor of the rest of the building, the slab 12 is formed with a shallow, circular recess 26 (Fig. 4).

To provide for ease of rotation of the turntable, mounted in the slab, in the bottom of recess 26, is an endless annular bearing race 28, recessed in the slab and anchored to the slab in any suitable manner, as for example, by being embedded in the cementitious material of which the slab is composed. The race 28 is transversely depressed, and faces upwardly, in opposition to a downwardly facing, transversely curved, annular bearing race 30 recessed in and fixedly secured to the underside of the floorv 22. The bearing races 28, 30 are in concentric relation to the pipe 16 and sleeve 20, and are of substantial diameter, so as to provide a firm support for the turntable adjacent the periphery thereof. Ball elements 32 are interposed between the confronting bearing races, so as to support the turntable 22 a short distance above the floor of the recess 26, for rotation about the pipe 16.

In the underside of the stationary ceiling of the building is formed a downwardly facing, annular bearing race 34 confronting an upwardly facing bearing race 36 recessed in the upper surface of the ceiling 24 of the turntable, and interposed between races 34, 36 are ball elements 38. Ball bearings for the turntable are thus provided at top and .bottom thereof, to provide for its easy rotation.

Fixedly secured at their inner side edges to the sleeve 29, and extending radially from the sleeve, are vertically disposed partitions 40 of the turntable. In the illustrated example, these are angularly spaced about the axis of rotation of the turntable but the spacing as well as the number of partitions can be varied as desired. In each partition, adjacent its outer side edge, there is provided a door 42. The top and bottom edges of the partitions are secured to the ceiling 24 and floor 22, respectively.

By rotation of the turntable to a selected position, the several radial partitions 4e will be brought into coplanar relation with vertical walls 44 of the building, said walls terminating at the edge of the recess 26 as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

When the turntable is rotated to a selected position, it is latched in said position through the medium of a latching device shown in Figs. 6 and 7. An arcuate railing'46, extending in a horizontal plane, is disposed adjacent the outer side edge of each portion 40, the opposite end portions of said railing projecting in opposite directions from the plane of the partition 40 as best shown in Fig. 6. The railing 46 is supported, at uniformly spaced intervals along its length, by vertically depending legs 48 secured in any suitable manner at their lower ends to the floor 22 adjacent the margin thereof.

The railing can be grasped for the purpose of rotating the turntable, and since they are secured directly to the floor, they relieve the partitions 40 of any strain that would otherwise be imposed thereon during the turntable rotation.

The midlength portions of railings 46 extend through openings formed in the walls 40, and within the walls 40 there are felded thereto laterally projecting, frusto-conical ball seats 56 of tubular construction. The smaller, open ends of the ball seats 50 are disposed in planes common to those of the outer side edge surfaces of the partitions 40, and disposed in each of the ball seats 50 is a ball element 52 resiliently and yieldably forced in a direction outwardly of the ball seat by means of a compression spring 54 interposed between the railings 46 and the ball element. The diameters of the outer ends of the conical ball seats 50 are slightly less than the maximum diameters of the ball elements 52, so that the ball elements are held against movement fully outwardly of the conical ball seats. The projecting portions of the ball elements, however, are engageable in semi-spherical recesses formed in plates 56 secured to the adjacent side edge surfaces of the walls 44 of the building.

By reason of this arrangement, it will be seen that whenever it is desired to rotate the turntable, one need merely grasp a selected railing 46 and apply force tending to rotate the turntable. The ball elements 52 will move out of the recesses of plates 56 in which they have been engaged, to permit the turntable to rotate. Assuming that the turntable is to be rotated through 90", at the completion of this movement, the ball elements 52 will engage in plates 56 once again, to releasably latch the turntable in its new position.

As shown in Fig. 3, the partitions 4t define segmental floor areas on the turntable, and each floor area can be provided with a different type of room furnishing. For example, one floor area can be equipped for sleeping, with a bed, double dresser, night table, etc. Another floor area can be equipped with kitchen equipment, and may include a dining table. The stove, sink, and other equipment of a kitchen would, of course, be not mounted upon the turntable, due to the fact that suitable connections for water, gas, and electricity could be made only with difficulty. This type of kitchen equipment would be left in one of the rectangular rooms defined by the building walls in cooperation with the partitions 40. Thus, the meal may be cooked in said rectangular room designated in Fig. 3 at 58. Subsequently, a dining table 60 may be set, and food may be placed thereupon, after which the turntable is rotated to bring the dining table 60 into the main room 62 of the building. This converts the main room 62 into a dining room of substantial area.

In another segmental floor area of the turntable, there can be provided a couch and other living room furnish ings, and in the remaining floor area library or studio furnishings can be used.

It will be seen that assuming for example that one desires to convert the main living area 62 of the house into a living room, the turntable would be rotated in a counterclockwise direction in Pig. 3 through 90 from the position shown in Fig. 3. This brings the living room furnishings into the main room 62, said furnishings being seemingly, in this position of the turntable, a part of the regular living room equipment. Subsequently, should it be desired to convert the main room 62 into a bedroom, the turntable is rotated to the position thereof shown in Fig. 3, so as to dispose the bed in the main room 62.

It will be seen that the construction has considerable possibilities, and can be varied as desired according to the desires of the particular owner. In every instance, however, maximum use of the building living space is afforded, since it is not necessary that separate, large rooms be erected in the building for a single use, such as a kitchen, a bedroom, etc. Instead, a large main room 62 can be provided in the building, with a plurality of small room areas disposed adjacent the same, the turntable rotating in the adjacent corner portions of the main room 62 and said small room areas. The main room 62 is thus used to advantage for a' plurality of purposes, such as sleeping, dining, etc.

At the same time, the construction retains the conventional exterior appearance of the building, and further retains a generally conventional interior appearance within the building.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A building comprising a stationary portion including a plurality of walls dividing the same into a plurality of rectangular rooms, a turntable rotatably mounted upon said stationary portion and including a plurality of partitions extending radially of the axis of the rotation of the turntable, said turntable being manually rotatable to selected positions in each of which said partitions move into coplanar relation with the several walls, and means for moving and latching the turntable in selected positions to which it is rotated, said latching means including a plurality of hand railings extending in opposite directions from the respective partitions adjacent the outer periphery of the turntable, and latch devices carried by said railings and engageable with the walls of the stationary portion, each of said railings being of arcuate formation and lying in a horizontal plane, in concentric relation to the axis of rotation of the turntable, each of said railings having a plurality of depending legs spaced along the length thereof, to support the railing in an elevated position above the lower end of the turntable, each of said latch devices including a frusto-conical ball seat secured to and projecting laterally from the associated railing within the partition from which the railing projects, and a ball element carried by said ball seat and projecting into engagement with a wall with which the associated partition is coplanar.

2. A building comprising a stationary portion including a plurality of walls dividing the same into a plurality of rectangular rooms, a turntable rotatably mounted upon said stationary portion and including a plurality of partitions extending radially of the axis of the rotation of the turntable, said turntable being manually rotatable to selected positions in each of which said partitions move into coplanar relation with the several walls, and means for moving and latching the turntable in selected positions to which it is rotated, said latching means including a plurality of hand railings extending in opposite directions from the respective partitions adjacent the outer periphery of the turntable, and latch devices carried by said railings and engageable with the walls of the stationary portion, each of said railings being of arcuate formation and lying in a horizontal plane, in concentric relation to the axis of rotation of the turntable, each of said railings having a plurality of depending legs spaced along the length thereof, to support the railing in an elevated position above the lower end of the turntable, each of said latch devices including a frusto-conical ball seat secured to and projecting laterally from the associated railing within the partition from which the railing projects, and a ball element carried by said ball seat and projecting into engagement with a wall with which the associated partition is coplanar, said ball element being spring loaded in a direction to normally urge the same outwardly of the turntable.

3. A building comprising a stationary portion including a plurality of walls dividing the same into a plurality of rectangular rooms, a turntable rotatably mounted upon said stationary portion and including a plurality of partitions extending radially of the axis of the rotation of the turntable, said turntable being manually rotatable to selected positions in each of which said partitions move into coplanar relation with the several walls, and means for moving and latching the turntable in selected positions to which it is rotated, said latching means including a plurality of hand railings extending in opposite directions from the respective partitions adjacent the outer periphery of the turntable, and latch devices carried by said railings and engageable with the walls of the stationary portion, each of said railings being of arcuate formation and lying in a horizontal plane, in concentric relation to the axis of rotation of the turntable, each of said railings having a plurality of depending legs spaced along the length thereof, to support the railing in an elevated position above the lower end of the turntable, each of said latch devices including a frusto-conical ball seat secured to and projecting laterally from the associated railing Within the partition from which the railing projects, and a ball element carried by said ball seat and projecting into engagement with a wall with which the associated partition is coplanar, said ball element being spring loaded in a 'direction to normally urge the same outwardly of the turntable, each of said walls having a semispherical recess receiving the ball element to engage the turntable against rotary movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 439,376 Blanchard Oct. 28, 1890 479,001 Herrera July 19, 1892 612,836 Ellis Oct. 25, 1898 1,122,170 Tate Dec. 22, 1914 1,278,108 Cimini Sept. 10, 1918 1,444,608 Hickey Feb. 6, 1923 1,559,739 Brown Nov. 3, 1925 1,624,042 Duggins Apr. 12, 1927 1,929,677 Davis Oct. 10, 1933 2,209,596 Brown July 30, 1940 2,395,409 Hughston Feb. 26, 1946 2,451,283 Gannett Oct. 12, 1948 2,693,620 Berman Nov. 9, 1954 

